Enter the naked manager

Being honest with customers means having no fear of losing face at a later stage, a Californian consultant argues

Patrick Lencioni's business is based on the importance of trust (Justin Griffiths-Williams)
It is time for executives to get naked. No fig leaves, no protective covering,
nothing. This will undoubtedly make them feel nervous, uncomfortable and
more than a little vulnerable, said Patrick Lencioni, the Californian
consultant and author, but it will do fantastic things for their bottom
lines.

Fortunately for workplace aesthetics, he is talking metaphorically. Suits and
dresses can stay in place. What he wants business leaders to shed is the
traditional attitudes they take when dealing with clients.

“The concept of getting naked is that there is a remarkable power in being
vulnerable, in being transparent with the people you serve,” he said. “It’s
based on the premise that human beings really want to work with people they
can trust, and they trust people who are honest upfront.”

Being genuinely honest with clients means overcoming three fears: fear of
losing their business; fear of being embarrassed; and fear of feeling
inferior.

“Just go in and tell the truth and help people,” said Lencioni. “If it serves
your business, great, and if in the short term it doesn’t, well, that’s
great too.”

His consultancy, Table Group, has undoubtedly lost clients as a result of its
adherence to this approach, he said. “That’s when you know it’s real. The
one time you lose a client, you say to yourself that’s okay, it’s meant to
be. Nine out of ten will reward you, but one will be uncomfortable.”

Sometimes Lencioni, who spoke at the Benchmark for Business event in London
earlier this month, persuades clients not to hire him. If he thinks they
would be better served by a different firm, or that they could do it
themselves, he tells them.

“One of the concepts of getting naked is that you do what’s in the best
interests of the clients, even if you don’t benefit,” he said. “What happens
then is that the client says ‘okay, I won’t hire you this time, but from now
on I call you first when I need anything, because I trust that you are going
to tell us the right thing’.”

Another important aspect of management nakedness is willingness to tell the
truth, even if that means admitting ignorance.

“Many of the most effective executives are people who admit when they don’t
know something. They ask questions and they acknowledge when someone else
has a better idea than them, which is really disarming.”

Lencioni admits that such behaviour can be professionally risky, as in some
environments people may try to take advantage of the naked person. “Most of
the time it helps, though ... my own career took off because I was the
person willing to go in and tell the chief executive the truth, not just
what he wanted to hear.”

He has maintained this approach as a consultant. He was working with senior
managers at one company that was trying to come up with a list of its core
values when one senior executive suggested adding “friendly” to the list. “I
said to the executive team, ‘Do you think you are friendly? Because I don’t
think you guys are very friendly.’ Fortunately, their response was to laugh
and agree.”

Lencioni went on to explain that there is no point coming up with core values
that don’t reflect reality. “You might want to be friendly but [if] you
aren’t, it can’t be one of your core values,” he said. Aspirational value
statements full of generic positives don’t help anyone, he said.

Instead, focus on the characteristics that are at the heart of your business,
even if they might not look as warm and fuzzy on your recruitment material.
“When you pick a value you actually stand for, know that there is a negative
to it and you are going to sign up for that, too. That is how you know it is
a value — that you are going to do it so much that sometimes it will be kind
of harmful and you are going to be okay with that because that’s your value.”

For example, a business that is results-focused might not be very friendly,
while one that values humility — as Table Group does — is unlikely to win
the marketing game. “That doesn’t mean we aren’t going to do our best, but
that we aren’t going to do it in a way that makes us feel icky.”

Perhaps the most important thing for senior executives to grasp is that how
people behave affects their business, Lencioni said. “People think this sort
of thing is soft, but it’s not. This drives your company’s success.

“Just because it is behavioural doesn’t mean it’s not real. And just because
it’s not quantifiable on a spreadsheet doesn’t mean it’s not going to be the
most important thing that has an impact on your bottom line.”

Always put the client first

Consult, don’t sell. Don’t spend time telling potential clients what you could
do for them. Instead, start serving them as if they were already your
clients, even if this means telling them not to hire you. Occasionally,
people will take advantage of you, but more often they will feel more
confident in what you have to offer.

Give away the business. Always err in favour of the client when it comes to
the invoice, as this shows you want a long-term relationship rather than
short-term gain. And be prepared to give clients the advice and information
they need to do something themselves for nothing — the chances are they will
return as a paying customer.

Tell the “kind truth”. Tell clients what they need to hear, not what they want
to hear. Present it with respect and empathy, but don’t try to sugar-coat
the message.

Ask silly questions and make silly suggestions. Ask the questions that other
people are too embarrassed to raise and make suggestions that you aren’t
sure will work. In the long run clients will remember those that turn out to
be great and forget those that aren’t.

Admit your weaknesses. This will stop you wearing yourself out by taking on
work you are not good at and using up energy that could be better focused on
areas where you are strong.